


Beware the Huntsman

by aggiepuff, Whedonista93



Series: Mischief in the Blood [6]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies), Disney - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 14:57:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14263551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aggiepuff/pseuds/aggiepuff, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whedonista93/pseuds/Whedonista93
Summary: What if the Big Bad Wolf wasn’t so bad after all?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Partially inspired by this post:   
> http://itsa-me-amelie.tumblr.com/post/77522694586/verceri-verceri-sniperj0e-sniperj0e-ok

“Mom!” Atlas calls cheerily as he skids into the clearing where his mother is doing laundry.

“No,” Red says without looking up.

“I didn’t even ask anything yet!”

“You want to go to school in Auradon.”

Atlas’ jaw drops. “How do you  _ do _ that?”

“I’m your mother.”

“That’s not a real answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting.”

“Fine, why not?”

“Because I said so.”

“Another fake answer.”

“Atlas…”

“Mom, seriously, why not? They’re bringing more villain kids over all the time!”

“Your father is not a villain!”

“I didn’t say he was!”

“But you’re lumping yourself in with the villains’ kids!”

Atlas throws his arms in the air. “As far as Auradon is concerned, I am!”

“Exactly!”

“Oh.”

“Don’t say it like that. I hate that. Your father does that. What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means I get why you really don’t want us to go. You’re worried about dad.”

“Can you really blame me?”

“No, but we can keep a secret.”

“Do you want to?”

“Of course not. We’re proud of who we are. But that doesn’t mean we have to tell anyone where you guys are. And, hey, maybe we’ll even get a chance to set the record straight.”

Red closes her eyes. “You really want to go?”

Atlas nods, despite the fact that his mother can’t see him. “We really want to go.” Red’s eyes blaze when she looks back up at him. “Beware the Huntsman.  _ Never _ let your guard down.”

“We won’t,” Atlas promises solemnly. He lasts all of ten second before he grins. “Does that mean we can go?”

Red sighs. “Yeah, you can go.”

Atlas whoops and picks her up, spins her in the air and plants a kiss on the top of her head as he sets her back on her feet.

Red rolls her eyes and swats his arm. “Yeah, yeah. Off with you, you lug. You’ve only got three days before the term starts. You’re gonna have to catch a ride with the Hoods if you want to make it on time.”

 

* * *

 

Atlas unfolds himself from the car and lets out a low whistle. “Fancy digs.”

Johnny grins and slings an arm around Artemis’ shoulders. “Welcome to your new home, forest rats.”

Artemis kicks his ankle. “I’ll show you rat.”

“I’ve already seen your brother shift.”

Atlas leans over and slugs the arm Johnny doesn’t have wrapped around his sister.

“Ow!” Johnny flinches. “Come on, Fido, let’s go see if we can get FG to let you room with me.”

“Not up to her,” a lilting voice above their heads sing-songs.

Atlas squints up. A fairy flutters past his head and lands lightly in front of them, growing in size as she does. He might ogle just a bit at her piercings and dreadlocks.

 

* * *

 

Joy tilts her head back and looks up and up and up at the newcomer. Joy isn’t short, but this guy… he’s gotta be taller than King Beast. The other two newcomers can’t even be five feet tall. They’re all sporting dark hair, amber eyes, and too sharp smiles, and they’re all decked out in varying shades of red, grey, and brown.

She can’t help her wings’ excited flutter. “Johnny! Did you bring me another mixed family to play with?”

All three newbies tense.

Joy rolls her eyes. “Joy Hook, daughter of Tinker Bell and Captain James T. Hook,” she executes a dramatic curtsy, “at your service. My brother Harry is mooning after his girlfriend somewhere around here.”

The giant in front of her lets out a booming laugh. “I like this one, Johnny!”

“Sorry, honey, taken.” She winks at Gil, who’s standing across the courtyard watching her with a dopey smile.

The giant glances over his shoulder and grins. “Lucky guy.”

Joy shrugs. “So… we don’t really get newcomers we don’t know anything about unless they’re coming off the Isle. You guys are….”

 

* * *

 

Atlas chuckles, this girl is snarky and he already likes her, but he won’t encroach on another guys territory. He’s all about making the right kinds of friends, though, and she seems like good people.

He offers a hand. “I’m Atlas.” His hand swallows hers and she laughs. He gestures to the twins, “and these are my sisters. The lug there has his arm around Artemis, and the other one is Selene.”

“Little Red Riding Hood and the big, bad Wolf,” Joy guesses with a grin.

Atlas grins back. “Impressive.” 

Joy shrugs. “Anyone with half a brain could figure it out. Let me guess, Huntsman was the bad guy all along?”

Atlas’ jaw drops and he looks down at his sisters. “This might be easier than we thought.” He looks back at Joy. “How…”

Joy shrugs. “I wouldn’t call Uncle Peter the real villain of my family’s story, but he really was a dick as a kid. Things are never as simple as the stories make them sound. Besides, the Huntsman has always wigged me out.”

 

* * *

 

Fairy Godmother races down the stairs. “Joy, Johnny! Who are your friends? I wasn’t told to expect any transfers from anywhere but the Isle.”

Atlas raises an eyebrow at Joy.

She shrinks and flies up to land on his shoulder and whisper in his ear. “I said anyone with half a brain.”

Atlas bites his tongue not to laugh.

Johnny pulls an envelope from his pocket. “I’ve got a letter from Lady Marian, Fairy Godmother. Said to apologize for the short notice and all.”

“Well,” Fairy Godmother shakes her head, clearly flustered, “we simply aren’t prepared. Where will they-”

“Jordan and Zaida are back in their lamps. Artemis and Selene can take their room.” Joy tugs playfully on Atlas’ ear. “I’ll find a place for gigantor, here. Dorm assignments  _ are _ the responsibility of the student council now, anyway. Don’t worry about a tour. I’ll show them around.” She snaps and the letter flies to her hand. “I’ll take that to the board on our way around. Their meeting is starting any time now.”

Fairy Godmother’s face goes slack and she hurries off. Joy makes a  mental note to apologize to Genie later for tipping FG off about the meeting, but he’s pretty sure he’ll forgive her - he’s alway had a soft spot for troublemakers.

“So, are there many mixed families?” Artemis asks curiously.

Joy shrugs. “More than you would think, not as many as you would hope.”


	2. Chapter 2

Kumar freezes, suddenly viscerally grateful he convinced Lonnie not to come with him tonight. There’s been a strange smell lingering around campus since the start of the term, and it’s more potent in the woods than it’s been anywhere yet. His ears twitch toward toward the sound of a group of creatures coming closer and he scales the nearest tree before they can reach him. 

He flattens himself against a branch as three…  _ dogs? _ enter the clearing. A tiny ball of fluff is flanked by two of the biggest wolves he’s ever seen; they’re close to Kumar in size, maybe even bigger. They all sniff the air curiously, but don’t start actively looking for him. He watches them wrestle around in the clearing in amusement. He commits each of their scents to memory.

He doesn’t realize he’s fallen asleep in the tree until the sunlight slants across his eyes. He chuffs in annoyance as he leaps down. Lonnie is never going to let him live it down that he fell asleep in the woods  _ again _ .

He lopes toward campus.

_ Maybe I’ll get lucky and be able to sneak past without anyo- shit,  _ he spots a group on the tourney field,  _ guess she has R.O.A.R. practice outside this morning _ .

He knows the moment she spots him, because she gets a shit eating grin that tells him he’s right, he will never live it down. He hangs his head briefly then trots over to her and lets her bury her hand in his scruff and lean against his side as she shouts exercises at her team. A few minutes later she shoves him gently. 

“Go. Take a shower or you’re gonna smell like mildew all day.” Lonnie teases.

 

* * *

 

Kumar tenses when a familiar scent hits him at lunch. He looks up and sees the Wolf siblings walk into the dining hall. He hasn’t actually met them yet, but he knows Joy gets along with them well. He does a double-take, as his mind connects their scent with the shifters from the woods and he promptly falls out of his seat laughing. Lonnie looks at him like he’s completely lost his mind, but he can’t help it. 

He can’t even breathe until the oldest of the Wolf siblings - Atlas, Kumar is pretty sure - is looming over him. “You okay, man?”

Kumar gestures vaguely between Atlas and the twins at his side. “You… tiny… huge… so backwards.”

The Wolfs catch on almost immediately and share wry grins. Atlas reaches down and hauls him to his feet, pounds him on the back, trying to help him breathe again. “I knew I smelled a cat last night.”

Kumar manages a nod.


	3. Chapter 3

Jordan is usually the sensible one in her group of friends, but everyone deserves a night off. Walking around the woods at night isn’t the wisest move anywhere, not even in Auradon, but Jordan is restless. She isn’t even paying attention to where she’s going until she trips over something soft. When she rolls over onto her back, a tiny little dog with a filthy nose is right in her face. She sits up waves her hand - in a brief flash of magic the little thing goes from filthy to white as pure snow.

She lifts it into her lap. “Well, aren’t you just the cutest little thing!”

  
* * *  
  


Atlas and his sisters developed a game of sorts, years ago, to improve their tracking. They are intimately familiar with each others scents, so one of them does their best to disguise their scent and hide. He doesn’t want to think about some of the things he has rolled in over the years, but he usually lasts longer than either of his sisters. In large part, he knows it’s thanks to his size. As he cuddles into the lap of the exoctic beauty who banished all his hard work with a simple wave of her hand, he decides he's okay with losing just this once.

 

* * *

 

Atlas drops onto the grass next to Joy in a dramatic pile of too long limbs. “Joy, who is she?”

Joy merely raises a brow at his dramatics. “There are a lot of “she’s” around here, Yippy.”

“Exotic. Gorgeous. Magic.”

“Color?”

Atlas shrugs. “I was shifted. Color blind.”

“Smell, then?”

“Chai.”

“One of the Agrabah kids, then.” Joy waves across the field.

Atlas rolls onto his stomach and props his head in his hands. “Her,” he nods, “the taller one in blue.”

“It’s more of a dark turquoise.”

“I'm a guy and a dog. Color  _ really _ isn't my thing.”

She shrugs. “Just saying.”

“Joy. You are  _ killing  _ me. Who is she?”

The fairy closes her book and narrows her eyes at him. “Why?”

“Because he’s in  _ looooove _ ,” his sisters chorus as they appear out of nowhere and perch on his back and legs, completely unconcerned with the fact they’re using a living being as a chair.

Atlas offers a token grumble, but doesn’t even attempt to shake them off. With as big as he is and as little as they are, he's long used to being used as furniture.

“Have you even met her?” Joy smirks.

“Technically… no. She tripped over me in the woods,” Atlas buries his face in his hands, “literally tripped.”

Joy pauses, then snorts. “Oh my gosh. She's met puppy you, but not  _ you _ you.”

Atlas lets his face drop all the way into the grass as his sisters laugh so hard they almost fall off his back.

Joy pats his shoulder in faux consolation. “Jordan Djinn. Genie’s oldest daughter.”

Atlas rolls his face toward her. “Introduce me?”

Joy rolls her eyes. “That puppy dog face works a lot better when you're little and fluffy.” She shoves her book in her bag and starts walking away.

“Is that a no?” Atlas calls after her.

 

* * *

 

“Hi.”

Jordan’s eyes widen as she looks up… way up. “Uh, hi.”

“How’s it going?”

Jordan stands. “Uh fine?”

“You always start your sentences by saying uh?”

“Uh… ugh,  _ tozz feek _ ! Why are you so tall?” Jordan lets her magic lift her off the ground so she’s eye level with the giant.

He grins. “You look like your dad.”

Jordan looks down at the magic swirling around her legs and bites back a grins she looks back up at him. “Thanks. And you are?”

He quirks an eyebrow. “And here everyone’s been telling me the Djinn sisters know everything.”

Jordan lifts her chin imperiously. “Hardly. Regardless, it is still polite to introduce yourself when speaking with someone for the first time.”

He opens his mouth to answer, but is cut off by a shout from across the courtyard. 

“Fido!”

He rolls his eyes and winks before he turns around heads across toward the voice. “Joy! If you’re gonna yell at me, at least have the decency to do it while you’re big enough to see!”

Jordan gapes at his back.

 

* * *

 

That night, the little guy slinks into the clearing with his tail between his legs and his ears drooping. He shies away a bit when Jordan reaches for him

She curses under her breath. “It’s okay, little one. I’m not going to hurt you.”

He approaches hesitantly, but eventually relaxes under her gentle petting.

“Why were you scared little one? I won’t hurt you. Not ever. You’re safe with me.”

 

* * *

 

“Joy!” Jordan stomps into Joy and Uma’s room.

Joy looks up from where she’s sprawled on the floor. “Yeah?”

“The giant from yesterday. Who is he and why was he talking to me?”

Joy sits up and smirks. “It looked to me like he was just saying hi.”

Jordan’s hands spark blue.

Joy holds up her own hands in surrender. “Atlas Wolf. He and his sisters are new. Homeschooled before now.”

“Why?”

“Mixed family. Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. They never managed to catch him to send him the the Isle. Hid themselves out in the woods and raised a family. Big family. Lot of kids. Atlas and his sisters are the only ones here. Rest are too old or too young. What happened to you Agrabah kids knowing all? You’ve been slacking.”

Jordan mumbles something uncomplimentary under her breath. Joy doesn’t know much Arabic, but she definitely catches something about villains.

“Thought you liked the VK’s.” 

”I do,” Jordan groans, “but you’re all so unpredictable! We always knew everything before because we’re nosy and everyone always did exactly what was expected. What does he want from me?”

Joy shrugs. “Maybe he likes you.”

Jordan rolls her eyes. “Everyone but Audrey likes me.”

Joy rolls her eyes back. “No, Jordan, maybe he  _ likes _ you.”

Jordan’s face goes blank and Joy falls back, cackling like a madwoman.

 

* * *

 

“Here puppy, puppy!” Jordan calls softly.

“What the hell are you doing?” 

Jordan screams and levitates into the air.

“Up here!”

She looks up to see Kumar’s head hanging upside down from the nearest tree.

“Kumar! You scared me half to death! What are you doing?” She waves a threatening hand at him, fingers ghosting blue light through the air.

Kumar laughs. “I was taking a nap. And trust me, you don’t want me to come down.”

Jordan eyes his bare shoulders and blushes. “Right. Shifters, naked… got it. Stay up there.”

“You never answered me.”

Jordan lands softly back on the ground and shrugs. “I like walking out here when I’m restless. It’s not like anything out here can hurt me.”

“What were you yelling?”

Jordan blushes again. “The first time I came out here I found this little dog. Tiny little ball of white fluff. He’s met me every time I’ve come out since. Too small to be living out here all by himself, but he always manages to wiggle away before I head back to the dorms.”

Kumar snorts.

Jordan looks at him sharply, but before she can say anything, his head vanishes and she barely catches sight of a black and orange tail vanishing among the branches.

 

* * *

 

Zaida tosses a grape at Jordan’s head. “Why are you so crabby?”

“She couldn’t find her puppy last night.” Kumar grins and snags an apple as he passes, barely avoiding the hex Jordan half-heartedly throws his direction.

“‘Sup?” Atlas drops down on the bench next to her.

“What about me,” Jordan grinds out, “fascinates you so much?”

Zaida snorts. “You’re brave, Big Bad Junior. She hasn’t had her coffee yet this morning and she’s grumpy about some puppy… which I’m suddenly praying isn’t some kind of euphemism.”

“It’s not a euphemism,” Jordan grumbles.

“Almost forgot,” Atlas exclaims as he sets a paper cup, steam exuding the spicy sweet scents of chai, from Jordan’s favorite cafe in front of her. “For you.”

Jordan immediately makes a grab for the cup and inhales half of it in a few gulps before she stops and eyes him suspiciously. “How? Why?”

Zaida smirks. “Don’t expect full sentences until she finishes that cup.” Jordan makes a rude gesture at her sister without taking her eyes off Atlas.

He shrugs. “I notice things, and I pass that shop on my morning run. Enjoy.”

“You run?” Lonnie pauses behind him.

“Uh, yeah.” Atlas looks up at her.

“Are you coordinated?”

“I guess.”

“Jay!”

“What?” The Isle boy freezes, a worried expression crossing his face for a brief second before his carefree facade is firmly back in place.

Lonnie grins. “Still looking for a reason to kick Chad off the tourney team?” Jay scoffs. “We don’t need a reason, just a replacement.”

She points at Atlas. “How ‘bout him?”

Jay looks him over briefly and shrugs. “First practice is right after last period. Come by.”

Jay and Lonnie walk away, heads bowed as they discuss something about strategy. 

Atlas turns back to Zaida and Jordan. “What?”

“You were just voluntold onto the tourney team.” Zaida explains. “There is no resisting once Lonnie gets an idea in her head. Just go.”

“Anything that knocks a little wind out if Chad’s sails is good in my book. Do it,” Jordan adds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tozz Feek Pronounced as: TOZ FEEK
> 
> This literally means “screw you,” and is used to vent off against someone annoying.
> 
>  
> 
> https://blogs.transparent.com/arabic/10-most-common-swear-words-and-expressions-in-arabic/


	4. Chapter 4

Jordan rests against a tree in her little clearing and lets the magic dance across her fingers, idly making patterns in the air. A gentle snout nudges her leg curiously. She looks down and smiles.

“Hello,  _ habibi _ . Have you been hiding from me?”

The dog lets out an indignant huff and if Jordan didn’t know better, she would think the little guy was offended by the very suggestion.

She laughs and lifts the little ball of flush to her chest and buries her face in his soft fur. “I did not have a very good day, my friend.”

He licks her palm where it cradles his chest.

She smiles gently and lowers him to her lap and gently runs her fingers through his fur, feeling better already as she absently hums an old lullaby Aunt Jaz would sing when she was little.

* * *

Atlas almost falls asleep before Jordan’s hand stills. He looks up to find her eyes closed. He gently extricates himself from her lap as his sisters enter the clearing. He whines softly and nods to her. They both nod their massive heads. He shifts long enough to gently settle her on Artemis’ back.

“I’m going to run ahead and get Joy. She’ll be able to help us get her back into her lamp.”

Selene growls quietly.

“I  _ know _ I need to tell her. I just…I will, okay? Soon.”

He shifts and takes off before any response can be made.

* * *

“I’m  _ never _ letting you live this down.” Joy smirks at the little white dog at her feet without taking her eyes off Jordan sleeping soundly on one of the girls’ backs. Joy still hasn’t figured out how to tell which is which when they’re in wolf form.

Atlas just buries his head under his paws.

* * *

Jordan wakes in her own bed and nearly panics, because she  _ knows _ she fell asleep in the woods. Joy is standing at the foot of her bed, eyebrows and hip both cocked. Jordan groans and buries her head in her pillow. “Who found me?”

“Yippy little cotton ball came scratching at my door about two in the morning.”

Jordan looks up sharply. “I’m starting to think that little shit is smarter than he lets on.”

 

* * *

 

Jordan doesn't question another cup of her favorite chai, this time paired with a bag containing a scone, until she's halfway done with both. She searches the cafeteria, but doesn't spot Atlas anywhere, so she shakes it off and finishes her breakfast.

 

* * *

  
  


“Zaida, we have homework.” Jordan protests as her sister drags her to the tourney field. 

Zaida rolls her eyes. “We both know you’re two days ahead and I won’t do mine until after dinner.”

“Point?”

“You have no excuse not to come with me.”

“What if I had plans?”

“Did you?”

“No,” Jordan grumbles reluctantly.

Zaida smirks triumphantly. “Besides, Jay and Lonnie banned you from tryouts and you  _ know _ you wanna see if Atlas is as good as everyone keeps saying. Everyone knows you want to interview him.”

“And you just want to ogle Jay’s arms.”

Zaida blushes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Uh huh.” Jordan eyes the bleachers distastefully before conjuring a cloud of blue and plopping down on it, sitting cross-legged and floating right up to the sidelines.

“You’ll get hit in the face if you aren’t careful.” Atlas’ voice comes from her shoulder.

Jordan screams and her cloud levitates a few more feet into the air. It takes a serious effort to drop back down and bring her eye level with Atlas. “Someone as big as you should not be so quiet. You need a bell.”

“I’d even wear one if you asked nicely.” Atlas grins at her one final time as he jogs backwards onto the field. 

Jordan seriously contemplates hexing him, but catches Zaida’s smirk from the corner of her eye and decides it would give her little sister far too much satisfaction. 

 

* * *

 

Jay is grinning like a madman when he approaches Atlas after practice. “You weren’t a slouch before, and it’s not like Jordan would ever miss a game anyway, but if you’re gonna play that hard every time she’s watching, remind me to make sure she’s always front and center.”

Lonnie scoffs next to him. “Like you don’t do the same when Zaida’s here.”

“Like you haven’t been just as bad since Kumar joined the team,” Jay fires back. “And seriously, who ever thought we’d end up with someone even bigger than Kumar on the team? Neverland isn’t gonna know what hit them.”

“‘Cause they’ll be unconscious,” Lonnie laughs, “but seriously, we’re all idiots.”

“At least they give you guys the time of day.” Atlas glances at Jordan over their heads.

“She’d be a lot easier to get along with if you told her that y-”

Atlas cuts her off with a sharp, alarmed look.

Lonnie shrugs, completely unconcerned. “Kumar tells me everything.”

“Told her what?” Jay butts back in.

“Nothing. Let’s go find some grub.” Lonnie links her arms through theirs and drags the boys off.

 

* * *

 

Atlas opens his eyes slowly, already fighting off a panic attack. He should have known better. Falling asleep in the woods was inevitable. Between tourney practice and classes and shifting more often than normal, it was inevitable that he was going to fall asleep, and Jordan is too kind-hearted to even have considered leaving him out in the woods unguarded. Unfortunately, that means he is now very human, very naked, and sprawled at the foot of his crush’s bed. This is going to be  _ bad _ . He lifts his head slowly to look for an escape route and quickly realizes that he’s in Jordan’s lamp - and why not? She thought she was bringing a puppy home,  _ not _ an overgrown teenage boy - and he has no idea how to get out of it. 

He rises from the bed as slowly as he can, taking care not to shift the mattress too much, snags the nearest blanket to wrap around his waist and drops into a chair at the side of the bed to await the inevitable. It comes approximately ten minutes later. Jordan’s eyes blink open slowly and she frowns at the foot of the bed. She sits up and looks around and Atlas sits as still as he can. When her eyes land on him, she freezes.

He lifts his hand slowly and waves sheepishly. “Uh, morning. Sorry, but I, uh, didn’t know how to leave.”

Jordan  _ screams _ and leaps out of the bed, chucking pillows as she goes.

Atlas doesn’t bother dodging them. The women in his family far outnumber the men, and he knows from experience it’s best to just ride out the storm. After the fifth one hits him square in the face, though, he can’t help but ask, “How many pillows do you have?!”

Jordan stops outright screaming, but continues yelling at him in what he assumes is Arabic.

He stands and bats away the next pillow with the hand not holding up the blanket. “Jordan, please-” He realizes standing was a mistake when her hands start glowing. He curses and dives in one move, unintentionally shifting as he goes. He spares a brief moment to be thankful that his sisters aren’t here to see this, and then realizes there’s no way they don’t know where he is and lets out a pitiful whine.He huddles under the bed and watches Jordan’s feet come around the side.

“Where did you go? There is no way you fit under my bed!” A moment later her face appears under the edge of the bed and her face goes slack with shock.

Atlas shuffles forward cautiously. Jordan scrambles back as he crawls back out into the open. He sits calmly at her feet.

Eventually, she blinks and clears her throat. “Uh… Atlas?”

He woofs and lets his tongue loll out a bit.

Jordan nods slowly. “Can… can you shift back?”

He woofs again and runs to burrow under the blanket he’d been using earlier. The poor girl has suffered enough shock for one morning without seeing his pasty ass in all its glory. He sits up slowly, making sure the blanket stays over his lap. “Hey, so… uh, I know I should’ve told you, but uh, shit. I didn’t know how. I’m sorry.”

The fury promptly leaps back into her eyes and before he can avoid it, a fistful of blue magic hits him square in the face. She stands and snaps. A door appears and she points to it. “Your way out.”

He grips the blanket and shoves to his feet and through the door in one awkward movement. As he stumbles into his own room and the door vanishes, he decides he is extremely grateful for small mercies. She definitely could have made him hoof it across campus in his birthday suit. Then he looks in the mirror. Sprouting from his hairline are a set of glittering pink antlers with bright blue bells on the end of each tine.

 

* * *

 

Jordan mists out of her lamp and into Zaida’s, greeting her sister with a terse, “I hexed Atlas,” before promptly misting back out.

Zaida stares at the spot she stood, shrugs, and finishes braiding her hair.

* * *

Jay snorts juice out of his nose when Atlas drops into the seat across from him at breakfast. “Dude, what did you do to piss Zaida off?”

Atlas wrinkles his nose. “It wasn’t Zaida, it was Jordan.”

Jay scoffs. “Yeah, right.”

* * *

Chad grimaces at the antlers on Atlas’ head. “Those Agrabah witches suck, huh?”

Atlas punches him in the face.

* * *

“You tick Zaida off?” Mal smirks, reaching across their lab table to tweak a bell.

Atlas groans. “Worse. Jordan.” 

“ _ Riiight _ ,” she drawls, “try that on someone who hasn’t met them both.”

* * *

“Hey, no antlers today!” Joy grins as she plops down across from him at lunch.

Atlas shrugs. “I left my room  _ ridiculously _ early to avoid her waiting to throw a hex in my face.”

“No one believes Jordan’s hexing you, you know,” Gil informs him around a mouthful of toast. “Everyone knows Zaida’s the one with a temper.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Joy chides gently.

Gil blushes and swallows. “Sorry.”

Joy grins and leans her head on his shoulder.

The dining hall doors burst open and Jordan storms directly toward them. Joy perks up in interest. Atlas groans and braces for the inevitable.

Jordan stops directly behind him and taps her foot. He stands and looks down at her. She rolls her eyes and floats up to eye level. She blows a kiss in his face, accompanied by a puff of blue, and his antlers sprout again.

Atlas just sighs and shakes his head, setting the bells ringing.

Everyone in the hall is silent.

Jordan chucks his chin up. “Just because you’re forgiven doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.”

Atlas smiles broadly at her. “I didn’t even realize I was forgiven.”

“She would’ve given you worse than antlers if you weren’t,” Zaida tells him as she takes the empty seat next to Joy. “Think pain and debilitating disease.”

Jordan shrugs and calls over her shoulder as she floats back toward the door, “I told you that you needed a bell. A collar seemed both cliche and inhumane.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Habibi (to a male) and Habibti (to a female) means “my love” or in Arabic. It is the most common expression of love in the Arabic language said to friends, children, and even strangers.
> 
> http://www.arabamerica.com/12-ways-express-love-arabic/


	5. Chapter 5

“You might wanna hide,” Joy flaps up to Atlas’ shoulder, Gil following in the wake of dark gold pixie dust, wide-eyed worry clear on her features.

“What’s up?” Atlas tries to turn to face her.

She obligingly flaps over the land on Gil’s shoulder. “FG finally made the connection between you being here and the fact that they never caught your dad.”

Atlas goes very still.

Joy continues, “I already found Artemis and Selene. They’re safe in Jordan’s lamp and waiting for you.”

“I’m not gonna hide!” Atlas protests. 

“Yes, you are,” Joy insists, “because FG is on the warpath. Zaida is calling Genie in, but we’re pretty sure FG already called the damn Huntsman.”

All the blood drains from his face and every instinct screams at him to run home as fast as he can. Joy apparently sees the intent on his face, because her magic wraps around him before he can even turn completely around.

“Yeah, no.” Joy scoffs. “We’ve gotta be smart about this, Atlas. Gil, if you see FG…”

“I don’t know where you are,” Gil finishes for her.

Joy pecks his cheek. “Thanks.”

Atlas gives up fighting her dragging him toward the dorms. “At least tell me you have a plan.”

“Of course we have a plan.”

The moment they step into Ben and Aziz’s dorm room, they’re sucked into Jordan’s lamp.

Atlas freezes when Jordan throws her arms around him. “Thank Allah! I was worried Joy wouldn’t get to you before FG.”

Atlas hesitantly wraps his arms around her shoulders before he decides the angle is too awkward, gently unwraps her arms from his middle, and picks her up by the waist before he tightens his arms around her again. He finally answers with mutter that sounds guilty even in his own ears, “She got to me in time.”

Jordan wraps her arms around his neck and laughs a little wetly. “You tried to take off toward home, didn’t you?”

Atlas shrugs in lieu of response.

“I’m glad you didn’t. It would have messed our plans up. Uh, you can put me down now.”

Atlas reluctantly sets her gently on her feet, but smirks as he steps back. “Hey, you’re the one who threw yourself at me. So what is this plan anyway?”

Jordan grins darkly. “We’re gonna give the bitch exactly what she wants.”

Atlas blanches. “What?”

“Hear us out,” Joy insists, “the Huntsman should be here around dinner time if FG got ahold of him right away. Theoretically, you guys have no idea he’s coming, so you’re going to go to the dining hall like normal. Between all of us magic users, we’ll keep him and FG away from you guys, but he’s going to assume you know the truth. And they’ll both assume you want to warn your family-”

“We do!” Atlas bursts.

“And you will,” Joy assures him, “but on our terms. Just after dark falls, you’re all going to shift and take off. You’re going to sneak out, but you’re going to sneak out  _ badly _ .”

“You  _ want _ him to follow us,” Artemis gapes.

“ _ Just _ him,” Jordan confirms. “Mal has already agreed to make sure FG is too busy to join him.”

“Why?” Atlas grits out.

“Joy and I are going with you guys. Zaida and Jay are gonna follow right behind.”

“But you want us to lead that bastard to our family!” Selene protests.

“Yes,” Joy answers.

“We need you to trust us,” Jordan pleads.

 

* * *

 

The only thing that keeps Atlas from fidgeting out of his seat at dinner is Jordan’s hand clasped in his under the table. He doesn’t know who’s doing what magic, but the Huntsman hasn’t made it within hearing range of their table since they walked in. Fairy Godmother hasn’t had any better luck.

Jordan squeezes his hand. “It’s gonna be okay.”

He manages a weak smile and a nod.

* * *

By the time dark falls, Atlas is literally ready to burst out of his skin. Their little group “sneaks” to the edge of the woods, all blatantly ignoring the figure slipping through the shadows behind them. They separate long enough for the wolves to strip and shift, then reconvene in a clearing just inside the woodline. Jordan silently climbs onto Selene’s back, and Joy shrinks down and climbs onto Atlas’ with a smirk. He growls in good-natured irritation.

Jordan snorts and takes a picture. “That’s adorable.”

They run.

 

* * *

 

Red rolls over and finds her husband’s side of the bed empty. She sits up abruptly, but relaxes when she sees his broad shoulders outlined in their window.

She yawns. “Everything okay?”

He glances over his shoulder briefly. “Someone’s coming.”

“Who?” She tucks herself into his side under his arm to join him at the window.

“I don’t kn-”

Atlas bursts into the hidden clearing of their home, flanked by Artemis and Selene. Both their parents immediately rush outside.

Red swears she sees flashes of pink and blue dart away from her children as they shift and grab clothes off the line in the yard.

Atlas barely has the presence of mind to step into pants before he turns to his parents. “The Huntsman is coming.”

Red’s eyes immediately fly back to the house. “The kids!”

Atlas puts his hands on her shoulders. “They’ll be fine, mom. Joy?”

A flash of pink flits into view and then  _ grows _ into a dark-skinned fairy with wings that blend into the night sky. “‘Sup, honey?”

“Our younger siblings,” he nods toward the house, “they’re in the house.”

“How many?” Joy asks. 

“Six.”

“What rooms?”

“Those two directly above the living room.” He points to the windows, clearly visible from the front of the house.

Joy throws firstfulls of golden magic at both windows before she stalks inside.

“The kids will be safe with Joy watching them.”

“She’s a teenage fairy!” Red protests.

“She’s one of the most powerful magic users in Auradon. And on the off chance her magic fails, she’s damn good with a sword.”

Selene’s head snaps toward the woods. “Incoming.”

“Atlas, what the hell?” Red demands a mere second before the Huntsman bursts through the treeline with a rifle in his hands. Red immediately shoves  her children back, planting herself between them and danger, her husband right at her side, angled in front of her. “ _ You _ are not welcome here, Huntsman,” Red snarls.

The Huntsman smiles, all faux sweetness. “Now, my dear Red, there’s no need for all that. We were friends once, remember?”

Red scoffs. “I do. And then you murdered my grandmother.”

The Huntsman tuts. “Now, darling, you  _ know _ that was your own fault.”

“ _ My _ fault?” Red screeches.

“Certainly. If you would have married me when I asked, I never would have had to frame the dog for such a vicious murder.”

Red tries to launch herself at the Huntsman, but her husband’s arm around her waist hauls her back. “I would  _ never _ have married you!”

“Yes,” the Huntsman sneers, “I figured that out when you took off with  _ him _ , even after he killed your dear granny, instead of coming sniveling back to grovel at my feet.”

“But I didn’t kill her,” Wolf rumbles.

Red immediately stops struggling, her husband’s steady tone and solid presence behind her reminding her why she fell in love with him in the first place.

The Huntsman laughs. “Of course not. I killed the old bat. Did you know she spit in my face before I tore her throat out? And it all could have been avoided if you’d just taken my hand, Red, instead of running off with a slathering  _ animal _ . And now I have a whole pack of you to put down.”

“Mama? Papa?” A small voice comes from an open window.

Red turns in horror to see one of the quadruplets face in the window. The crack of a rifle nearly deafens her before she can even open her mouth in warning. She screams. There is a flash of gold and the bullet ricochets. Her youngest child is yanked away from the window from inside at the same moment the Huntsman flattens himself on ground to avoid the flying bullet.

Red’s eyes blaze when she whirls back toward him. “A  _ child _ !  _ My _ child! You would murder  _ another _ innocent for your petty revenge?”

“I will put down a pack of beasts like the animals they are!” The Huntsman roars, surging back to his feet.

Jordan steps from the treeline with a low whistle and her phone held up in front of her. “Bravo. This is better than those soap operas my dad pretends he doesn’t watch.”

Joy leans out the window the Huntsman had tried to shoot at moments before, her own phone in hand. “Great angle from up here! Think Carlos can splice them all together or something?”

“If he does, he should really add some shots from from back here where you can see the family.” Zaida steps out from right behind the Huntsman, Jay at her shoulder.

“Wha-” the Huntsman’s head swivels between them all.

“In case it isn’t clear,” Jordan taps on her phone, sending her video to Carlos, then tucks her phone into her pocket, “we have you on video admitting to murder, attempting to murder a child, and threatening to murder a family.”

“You think I’m scared of a bunch of tenagers?” The Huntsman sneers.

Behind him, Jay laughs. “Clearly no one’s told you the rule.”

“Rule?”

“You don’t fuck with the Agrabah kids!” Joy calls down.

“I have no qualm with the Agrabah kids,” The Huntsman tries to reason.

“Maybe not,” Zaida allows as she sends her video off to Carlos, “but you  _ are _ trying to fuck with someone one of us has claimed. So it’s pretty much the same thing.”

The Huntsman visibly loses his patience and lifts his rifle. Jordan screams and throws both her magic and herself, form not quite solid, forward when he fires directly toward Atlas. The bullet hits her and she hits the ground the same moment twin bursts of cherry red magic hit the Huntsman from behind. Atlas rolls her over, frantically checking for blood, but only finds a bruise blossoming across her bare stomach.

“Jordan?” He can’t even bring himself to care how frantic his voice sounds.

She groans and curses in Arabic. “I’m okay.”

“You just jumped in front of a bullet!” He protests.

She sits up gingerly, Atlas’ massive hand supporting her back, and only manages to get into a mostly sitting position before she slumps against his chest. “Bullets can’t kill me,  _ habibi _ . You on the other hand... But I can’t stop them without being at least partially corporeal, so they still hurt like none other.”

Atlas laughs a little hysterically and crosses his legs so he can pull her gingerly into his lap. “You’re crazy.”

“Have you met my father?” Jordan grumbles into his shoulder.

“Point.” He drops a kiss to her hair. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to ask you out for coffee, you know. And suddenly that seems  _ really _ insufficient.”

“Lots of coffee. Forever,” Jordan mutters.

“Two questions.” Atlas smirks. “One, is it safe to take that as a yes to multiple dates?”

Jordan nods against his shoulder.

Atlas squeezes his arms around her gently. “And two, are you gonna pass out?”

“Pro’ly,” she mutters against his collarbone. 

“Promise you’ll wake up again?”

“Mhm.”

“Go ahead. I’ve got you.”

“She pass out yet?” Zaida asks just above his head.

Atlas tilts his face toward her. “Yeah.”

Zaida nods, mouth set in a grim line. “Figured. Not that I wanted you to get shot, but that was stupid.”

“Not gonna disagree.”

“You got her while we take this asshole back to Auradon? She needs to rest.”

Atlas nods and stands, carefully cradling Jordan against his chest. “I’ve got her.”

“You don’t need to take him all the way back to Auradon,” Red intejects, deftly stepping around the four wolf pups yipping at her feet, “we have an agreement of sorts with Queen Snow. I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to lend her dungeon.  _ Her _ huntsman  _ really _ doesn’t like getting tagged with this jackass’ reputation. Atlas, get that poor girl into the house and out of the cold. Find her an empty bed.”

Atlas ducks his head with a sheepish grin. “Yes, ma’am.”


	6. Chapter 6

Jordan comes to slowly, with sun and the sounds of the forest streaming in through the open window. She is in a massive bed and _surrounded_ by wolves. Artemis and Selene are snoring on either side of her, four tawny pups are piled on her legs, two lanky gray adolescents are curled up in the far corner against the wall, and Atlas is snuggled against her ribs, head resting gently on mostly-gone bruising.

Red leans in the door frame with a cup of coffee in hand and a bemused smile on her face. “You seem to have cast a spell on all my children, Miss Djinn. Especially my boy there,” she nods fondly toward Atlas’ tiny figure.

“I don’t cast spells on friends,” Jordan mutters into the pillow, “and my magic wears off at midnight.”

Red laughs brightly. “I didn’t mean it literally, my dear, though my girls _did_ tell a rather interesting tale involving a pair of belled antlers.”

Jordan flushes slightly. “He deserved it.”

“Of that, I have no doubt,” Red smirks into her coffee, “he _is_ his father’s son.”

Wolf appears behind her as if summoned and wraps his arms around her waist, resting his chin atop her head. “I’m not that bad.”

Red rolls her eyes. “Need I remind you how we met?”

Wolf blushes.

Jordan raises an eyebrow at them.

“He had the social skills of a lemon.” Red tells her bluntly. She reaches up to poke at a scar on his left shoulder. “That scar is from me. I nearly wet myself the first time he approached me as a human. I mean, honestly, most of my family is intimidatingly tall and they got it all from him. And he hadn’t a clue how to talk to women. Barely managed to talk to the men down at the pub. He had been stalking me through the woods as a wolf every time I went from the village to visit granny. The first time he actually got within reach I skewered him with a dagger before I realized he only got in reach to protect me from an _actual_ wolf that had gone feral. He shifted back after he’d taken the wolf down.”

Jordan giggles. “Discovery minus clothes, sounds familiar,” she mutters before she thinks better of it.

“Excuse me?” Red chokes on her coffee.

Jordan’s flush spreads violently across her cheeks and she groans into the pillow, but then realizes it’s going to be far more embarrassing for Atlas than it will be fore her and tells them _exactly_ how she discovered his secret.

Their father’s howling laughter is what finally wakes the pack asleep around her.

Atlas shakes awake and licks her cheek in greeting.

Jordan scratches behind his ears. “Good morning, _habibi_.”

Atlas woofs happily then topples off the bed and sprints out of the room. The rest of pack greets her in turn, the puppies all piling on her chest at once, before following him out of the room. Red and Wolf follow their children out of the room laughing and fondly scolding them as they go.

Jordan waits until they’re all gone before she stands and stretches.

Atlas walks back in wearing ripped jeans and a red tank top just in time for her to wince and stumble as the bruising on her ribs catches. He scoops her up in his arms before she can hit the floor.

“I can walk,” she protests.

He grins down at her. “Try that again when you can even stand without wincing.

She scowls at him. “Can I at least use the bathroom?”

Atlas blushes and sets her down outside the bathroom a few doors down.

“Thanks.” She pauses in the door frame. “I don’t suppose you have a spare toothbrush?”

Atlas laughs and crowds her against the door frame as he reaches into the cabinet above the sink and comes back with a packaged toothbrush. “All yours.”

Jordan scowls again and lightly shoves him out of her space so she can shut the door.

 

* * *

 

Red rolls her eyes when Atlas carries Jordan down the stairs and into the kitchen. _Definitely his father’s son_ , she thinks to herself. “Put the girl down, Atlas. She’s not helpless.”

“Thank you!” Jordan scowls up at Atlas and pointedly pokes him in the chest.

He sits her down with a good natured smirk, then plants himself right next to her with an arm slung casually across the back of her chair.

Red ruffles his hair fondly, ignoring his indignant protests. “You are _so_ your father’s son.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Atlas tries to smooth his hair back down.

“He wouldn’t let me out of arms length for a _month_ after that wolf attacked me.” Red turns to Jordan. “I hope you’re prepared for the hovering.”

Jordan shrugs nonchalantly. “I can get away if I want.”

Red shakes her head. “The men in this family are _tenacious_ about protecting those they love. He’ll find a way.”

“Mom!” Atlas shoots up. “We’re not even dating.”

“We aren’t?” Jordan arches an eyebrow.

Atlas freezes then turns slowly to look down at her.

“My memories are a _bit_ groggy right after the whole getting shot thing, but I’m pretty sure I agreed to _multiple_ coffee dates… pretty sure the word forever showed up in there somewhere, actually.”

Atlas’ smile is nothing short of blinding as he swoops down and kisses her, heedless of the fact that nearly his entire family is around the table.

“ _Definitely_ your son,” Red mutters as her husband wraps an arm around her shoulders.

Wolf just grins and throws a dish towel at Atas’ head.

Atlas has the decency to blush as he ducks his head away from the dazed genie at his side before throwing a psuedo glare at his mother. “Really have to _start_ with the “l” word?”

“Absolutely,” Red scoffs, “the love at first sight shtick runs deep in your blood, kiddo.”

“And besides that,” Wolf rumbles with a smirk, “I believe you'll find that your better half used it first.”

Jordan blushes furiously and buries her face in her hands before peeking through her fingers at Atlas’ father. “You speak Arabic.”

It's not a question, but he answers anyway. “I do, little one.”

“In all fairness, I started calling him that when I thought he was a little fluffball.”

“And continued when you learned the truth.”

“Point,” Jordan concedes with a groan as she turns to bury get burning face in Atlas’ chest.

“Anyone care to explain all this to me?” Atlas asks.

“ _Habibi_ translates to ‘my love’,” Jordan mutters into his shirt.

“What was that?” Atlas nudges her shoulder. “I didn't quite catch it.”

“Yes you did.” Jordan challenges, glaring up at him.

He grins dopily and kisses her forehead. “Yeah, I did.”

Red decides her boy is in good hands.


End file.
